Since I received a lot of positive feed back for the first Recommendation Roundup, here we go again. I should note that there’s no set number of albums that I will be putting in here. This is all fluid. So let’s see what’s in Volume 2.

“Carol Stones and Elder Rock” is the new EP from the German duo Noekk. I had actually assumed Noekk were done since they hadn’t released anything in 10 years. But Noekk “Carol Stones and Elder Rock” is a warning shot that they are indeed back and are releasing their fourth full length album in 2019.

This EP is quite brief and is actually a 7″ single. Noekk are known for the extreme use of mellotrons so if you love that instrument, you need to check them out. However this EP is acoustic which, while still using that instrument, is a bit different and striped down from their usual sound. This is a tad bright than their usual doom laden prog. I’m curious if this is just for this EP or reflects a slight modification in presentation. We shall see. For now, this is a nice taste of Noekk and leaves the listener wanting more. Next year it is!

Label: Prophecy Productions
Release Date: 28 September, 2018

Voivod is one of my favorite bands. So why would I limit them to a few paragraphs in here? Look, I love every (and I mean every) Voivod album and “The Wake” is no different. I listened to it, it’s Voivod, and I was in love again. The question is how much do I love it. So why type 4 or 5 paragraphs of me praising Voivod when I can get to the point?

“The Wake” finds the current lineup firing on ALL cylinders. Chewy has assumed Piggy’s role on guitar fully. It’s no longer him mimicking the style but now he fully channels the late Piggy. Rocky has been a find on bass. His tone is certainly not the same as Blacky but he fits with Chewy better than Blacky did. The music is completely apeshit too. “The Wake” is way more proggy than anything they have done since…maybe “The Outer Limits.” And the songs are stronger because of it. “The Wake” is a perfect example of a Voivod album and there’s no higher praise I can give than that. It ranks up there with ANY of my favorite Voivod albums. Candidte for my favorite album of 2018.

Label: Century Media
Release Date: 21 September 2018

One area that a column like this helps out is with very short releases. I generally don’t review singles since there’s not a whole lot I can say about one or two songs. So now I can do that. I am a fan of post metallers Minsk so their split single “Bigod” was immediately of interest to me. I had never listened to the other band on the single, Zatokrev so it was an interesting experiment.

Minsk still sound heavy as fuck and fit nicely next to bands like Cult of Luna and Neurosis. “Invoke: Revive” is standard Minsk, mid tempo with skull crushing riffs and urgent harsh vocals. Zatokrev remind me a bit of Deafheaven certainly in the vocal department. Musically, “Silent Gods” has a bit of a psychedelic vibe to it. It’s not bad but for me they are no match for Minsk who close out the 4 song single with the trippy “The Chalice and the Dagger” which underscores the versatility they have. The single just makes me want to go listen to some Minsk. Sorry Zatokrev.

Label: Consouling Sounds / Czar Of Crickets Productions
Release Date: 5 October 2018

ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY VOIVOD!!!